Sweet blog extra: Obama introduces Iran resolution. TEXT.

Text of Obama resolution below…

VIENNA, VA.–As Iran heats up as a presidential campaign issue between Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) , Obama introduced a resolution late Thursday to put the Senate on record that the president does not have authority to make a military strike against Iran.

The stand-alone measure has no co-sponsors. It comes asObama offers, via an interview running in the Friday New York Times, economic and other inducements to Iran–including a pledge not to seek regime change –in order to get cooperation on “terrorism and nuclear issues.”

Led by Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), 30 senators signed a letter released Thursday “warning” President Bush not to attack Iran without explicit congressional consent. The Illinois Democratic senators are split on this: Sen. Dick Durbin signed the letter and Obama did not. Clinton signed as did Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Ct.

This Obama and Webb legislation arer developments flowing from the September vote on the Kyl-Lieberman amendment–a resolution naming the Iran Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization.

Clinton and Durbin support the measure; Obama opposed it, though he was absent from the Senat for the vote. This Webb letter is being used by the Clinton campaign to underscore her argument–and dilute Obama’s– that support for Kyl-Lieberman is tantamount to giving Bush authorization for military action. Will update with expected Obama reaction.

Obama’s campaign said in reaction to Webb, ” Senator Obama admires Senator Webb and his sincere and tireless efforts on this issue. But it will take more than a letter to prevent this administration from using the language contained within the Kyl-Lieberman resolution to justify military action in Iran. This requires a legislative answer and Senator Obama intends to propose one.”

The Obama resolution seeks to clairfy that ‘that the use of force against Iran is not authorized by the Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against Iraq, any resolution previously adopted, or any other provision of law”

Whereas the Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against Iraq (Public Law 107-243) authorized the President “to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to (1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and (2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq;

Whereas, on September 26, 2007, the Senate agreed to a provision, Senate Amendment 3017 to Senate Amendment 2011 to H.R. 1585, stating the sense of the Senate that, the manner in which the United States transitions and structures its military presence in Iraq will have critical long-term consequences for the future of the Persian Gulf and the Middle East, in particular with regard to the capability of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to pose a threat to the security of the region;

Whereas, on September 26, 2007, the Senate also stated the sense of the Senate “that it is a critical national interest of the United States to prevent the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran from turning Shia militia extremists in Iraq into a Hezbollah-like force that could serve its interests inside Iraq;

Whereas, on October 25, 2007, the Department of State designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) as proliferators of weapons of mass destruction under Executive Order 13382 in relation to concerns about their role in proliferation activities;

Whereas, on October 25, 2007, the Department of the Treasury also designated 9 IRGC-affiliated entities and 5 IRGC-affiliated individuals, as derivatives of the IRGC, as well as Irans state-owned Bank Melli and Bank Mellat and 3 individuals affiliated with Irans Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO), as proliferators of weapons of mass destruction or supporters of terrorism under Executive Order 13382;

Whereas, on October 25, 2007, the Department of the Treasury also designated the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) as a supporter of terrorism for providing material support to the Taliban and other terrorist organizations, and designated Irans state-owned Bank Saderat as a terrorist financier, under Executive Order 13224; and

Whereas any offensive military action taken by the United States against Iran must be explicitly authorized by Congress: Now therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That nothing in the Authorization for the Use of Force Against Iraq (Public Law 107-243), any act that serves as the statutory authority for Executive Order 13382 or Executive Order 13224, any resolution previously adopted, or any other provision of law including the terms of Executive Order 13382 or Executive Order 13224 shall be construed to authorize, encourage, or in any way address the use of Armed Forces of the United States against Iran.